Askew Leads Rivals In Donations

WASHINGTON -- Former Gov. Reubin Askew collected nearly $1 million in campaign donations and far outdistanced his two Senate rivals in the quest for cash during the first three months of 1988.

Askew raised almost three times as much as his Democratic primary foe, Rep. Dan Mica, during the first quarter of the year, and nearly twice as much as Rep. Connie Mack, according to summaries of campaign finance reports filed by each candidate on Friday.

But Mica, D-Lake Worth, was much closer to Askew in the amount of cash each campaign had on hand as of April 1. Askew had $765,591 in his campaign coffers, compared to the $627,090 in Mica`s war chest, the reports showed.

Mack, R-Cape Coral, who currently faces no formidable opponent in the GOP Senate primary, had $424,558 in his campaign coffers as of April 1,

``The bottom line is $627,000 in the bank,`` said Mica aide John Gersuk. ``We`re very competitive.``

Detailed copies of the reports listing contributions and itemized expenditures for the first quarter of the year were due in Washington and Tallahassee on Friday, but will not be available publicly before early next week.

Mack still holds a currency-thin lead over Askew in total funds raised so far in the 1988 Florida Senate race. The third-term congressman has collected slightly more than $1,011,000 since his campaign began last fall. Askew has raised about $1,009,000 since he began collecting funds on Dec. 21.

Some $929,000 has been collected by the Askew campaign since Jan. 1, including $67,550 contributed by political action committees, the campaign financing mechanism for special-interest groups.

Askew was in Washington on Thursday night for a $1,000-a-ticket fund-raiser at the lavish Georgetown mansion of Democratic doyenne Pamela Harriman, the widow of former statesman Averill Harriman. Former Democratic Party Chairman Robert Strauss was a sponsor of the fund-raiser.

Askew said he expected to collect nearly $100,000 in campaign funds from the event. His campaign spent $242,714 during the first three months of the year.

Mica`s campaign raised $365,244 during the three-month period, including $47,437 collected from PACs. The campaign spent $165,306 during the period.

Mica has raised a total of $797,055 for his Senate race, including $351,215 collected by his congressional re-election committee last year before he decided to give up his House seat to run for the Senate.

Mack collected $503,789 in campaign funds during the first three months of the year, including $68,600 donated by PACs. He spent $399,339 during that time.